The Veteran's prostate cancer is presumed due to herbicide exposure in service. The claim for rheumatoid arthritis has been reopened, but the Board finds insufficient evidence to establish a connection between the condition and service.
The deciding factor: New medical evidence suggests that rheumatoid arthritis may have begun during service, though this does not provide sufficient proof of causation.
- Claimed conditions
- Prostate Cancer, Rheumatoid Arthritis
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 18, 2017
- Citation
- 1717022
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1717022.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted SMC at the rate of 50% for his service-connected conditions from April 20, 2020 to June 7, 2021.
- Granted
The Veteran's hypertension and prostate cancer residuals (voiding dysfunction) have been granted increased ratings of 10 percent and 20 percent, respectively.
- Denied
The Veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation of his depressive disorder and entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is denied as the November 2024 rating decision was not adjudicating previously pursued claims.
- Granted
The Veteran's urinary sphincter dysfunction is restored to a 40 percent rating effective February 1, 2025. A higher rating for the condition beginning July 12, 2023, is denied.
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